Multi-Chambered Heating Method and Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for multi-chambered heating of food products wherein a plurality of varying food products may be simultaneously heated over a stovetop heating element of gas burner is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of independent cooking chambers that when properly arranged, conform to the geometry of a stovetop electric heating element or gas burner. Each of the plurality of cooking chambers further includes a lid and a hooking device that enables a handle to be temporarily and securely attached to the outer surface of the cooking chamber. When joined with a cooking chamber, the handle may serve to position and/or remove the cooking chamber from a stovetop burner. Each of the plurality of independent cooking chambers may further include inserts in the form of a steamer, strainer, fryer, and double boiler.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional patent application of, and claims priority to, U.S. Ser. No. 60/761,665 filed on Jan. 24, 2006 and entitled “MULTI-CHAMBERED HEATING METHOD AND APPARATUS”, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to heating food products, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for multi-chambered heating of disparate food products, wherein a plurality of food types may be heated together in close proximity without significantly compromising the purity of each food product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many variations of cookware and cooking utensils have been introduced over the centuries to help improve the quality and efficiency of food preparation. The invention of non-stick materials, for example, enabled manufactures to produce frying pans that eliminate the need for cooks to add oil, butter, or other products to the cooking surface of pans in order to reduce food adhesion.

Increasing the efficiency of cooking has long been a goal of cookware manufactures. Copper was found to better conduct heat than steel alone, thus stainless steel cookware with copper bases became popular with many professional and novice cooks. However, reducing the required cooking time for food products only addresses one of several efficiency problems regularly encountered by home cooks.

Most standard cooking stoves accommodate only four pots and/or pans at one time. When preparing large and/or formal meals, cooks often find that there are not enough stovetop burners to heat all of the various dishes. Thus, when a one dish is fully heated, the cook must remove the cookware from the burner in order to first begin heating another item. Meanwhile, the dish that was removed from the burner often undesirably cools, prior to completing the heating of the other meal dishes for the same meal. Moreover, some dishes such as sauces, for example, may be low in volume and require only a very small pot or pan, yet an entire burner is required for heating due to the shape of the pot or pan in relation to the shape of the burner. There is no practical and safe way to fit more than one pot and/or pan onto a single stovetop burner. Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus that enables a cook to heat a plurality of food items on a single burner, without compromising the purity of each food item.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes a method and apparatus for heating food products in a multi-chambered cooking apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of cooking chambers constructed of a heat and corrosion resistant material such as, for example, stainless steel, copper, iron, and Corian®. Each of the plurality of cooking chambers is of a wedge shape so as to enable them to be positioned side-by-side on a circular stovetop heating element or gas burner. Each cooking chamber may be configured with varying heights in order to accommodate varying volumes of food product.

To facilitate positioning or removing the cooking chambers from a hot cooking surface, each cooking chamber includes a hooking device that enables a handle to be temporarily and securely attached to, for example, the outer surface of the cooking chamber. Each cooking chamber may further include a lid that securely covers the top of the chamber to prevent heat loss, splattering, and spillage of food product during heating. Moreover, the lids may be solid or vented to accommodate different types of cooking.

The invention further includes cooking chamber inserts to facilitate varying types of cooking. Chamber inserts are shaped as to be suitably received within the cooking chamber. Such insert includes a strainer, for the convenient separation of liquids from solids; a double boiler, for keeping food products out of direct contact with a heated surface; a fryer, to facilitate the cooking of food products in hot oil; and a steamer, for keeping a food product out of direct contact with a liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the Figures, and:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating exemplary cooking chambers with lids engaged thereon, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary cooking chamber handle hook and removable handle for positioning and removing cooking chambers from a cooking surface, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary steamer basket, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration and its best mode. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented. Moreover, the components of the invention may be comprised of any suitable material and be configured with any suitable dimensions

As set forth in more detail in the attached exemplary drawings, the invention includes individual pan components (cooking chambers) that when positioned together, will occupy the surface area of a stovetop burner (heating element, a gas burner and/or the like) or other heating surface. Occupying the surface area may include a smaller surface area, a substantially equal surface area, or an area larger than, the surface area of the burner. Occupying the surface area may also include occupying more than one burner at the same time, alternating between burners and/or associating the device with other types of cooking, cooling, freezing or heating devices (e.g., warming tray/drawer, microwave, freezer chamber, etc).

The invention may comprise two or more cooking chambers of any size or dimension. The cooking chambers may be utilized individually or in a group, or may fit within a cooking pot or other container. With reference to FIG. 1, and according to one embodiment, the invention may comprise three cooking chambers 105, wherein each has a wedge-like shape to enable the cooking chambers to form a substantially complete circle when used together to form the full heating apparatus 100. The cooking chambers may be placed directly onto the stovetop or within another cooking device (e.g., sauce pan). The cooking chambers may temporarily or permanently couple to each other.

Having multiple individual cooking chambers provides the unique advantage of being able to heat, boil and/or cook two or more food products on a single stove burner, thereby providing for greater cooking convenience and energy savings. For example, one could use the multi-chambered cooking apparatus 100 to heat corn in a first cooking chamber 105, warm soup in a second cooking chamber 110, and cook pasta in a third cooking chamber 115; all over a single stovetop burner. Moreover, because the cooking chambers are not affixed to each other, the invention accommodates dishes with varying cooking and/or heating times. Using the example above, soup will take less time to warm than the pasta (which needs to be cooked). As such, the chamber holding the soup may be removed from the burner without disrupting the cooking of the pasta. Alternatively, the same food may be placed in each chamber, but different spices or cooking times applied to each food. As used herein, food products may include edible items, animal food, medicines, chemicals, craft items, liquids or any other solid, liquid or gas.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the dimensions and shapes of the cooking chambers may vary according to variations found in the size and configuration of the stovetop burners. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the cooking chambers when combined into the circular configuration is eight inches, with each cooking chamber having a depth of four inches. In other embodiments, the overall diameter may range between eight and twenty inches with a depth range of between six and twenty inches.

In another embodiment, the individual cooking chambers may vary in depth in order to accommodate varying volumes or liquids and/or food products. For example, a first three-inch deep chamber may be used in conjunction with a second four-inch deep chamber and a third six-inch deep chamber. As such, each cooking chamber may be suitably positioned onto a single stovetop burner as described above while enabling each to accommodate different volumes of liquid and/or food product.

The cooking chambers of the present invention may be constructed of any heat resistant and durable material including, for example, stainless steel, copper, coming ware, Teflon, ceramic, etc. In another embodiment, cooking chambers may include a disposable material for one-time or limited-use during, for example, camping. In an exemplary embodiment, the inside surfaces of the cooking chambers include a non-stick coating. With reference to FIG. 2, each cooking chamber may further include a solid or vented lid 120. The lid 120 may include a finger opening to enable removal of the lid, or fixed-position or swiveling handle for grasping and removing the lid 120.

With reference to FIG. 3, each cooking chamber 200 is further configured to include a hooking device 205 to enable a handle 210 to be temporarily and securely attached to the cooking chamber 200, and in one embodiment, to the outer or inner surface of cooking chamber 200. When joined with a cooking chamber 200, the handle 210 may be used to position and/or remove the cooking chamber 200 from a stovetop burner. The handle 210 may be constructed of any heat resistant material commonly used in the manufacture of cookware. The handle may attach via mechanical, electronic, magnetic and/or any other attachment technology. In particular, the engagement mechanism for the cooking chamber 200 and handle 210 may comprise any mechanism known in the art including, for example, tongue and groove clip, velcro, clasp, clamp, and the like.

With reference to FIG. 3, inserts 300 are provided to be used in conjunction with the cooking chambers to expand the cooking utility of the present invention. Each insert 300, having a shape and dimensions to allow it to be suitably received within the walls of the cooking chamber, may be constructed of any heat and corrosion resistant material typically used in the manufacture of cookware including, for example, stainless steel, copper, iron, Corian®, and the like.

A steamer basket insert 305 with one or more of perforations 310, a handle 315 and a lid 320 enable the cooking chamber to be used to steam vegetables or any other food product. A strainer insert (similar to the steamer insert) may also be used in conjunction with the cooking chamber to enable water to drain from the food product through suitably positioned insert perforations. For example, pasta may be placed into the strainer insert prior to lowering the strainer into a cooking chamber of boiling water. When the pasta is fully cooked, the strainer attachment may be conveniently removed from the cooking chamber, leaving the water in the cooking chamber. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of inserts may be used with the present invention to perform any specialized cooking task and may include, for example, a double boiler insert and a frying basket insert.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims or the invention. All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described exemplary embodiments that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Further, no element described herein is required for the practice of the invention unless expressly described as “essential” or “critical”. 

1. A heating apparatus which facilitates simultaneous heating of food products, said heating apparatus comprising: a first container having at least three first vertical wall surfaces and a first horizontal base surface, wherein said at least three first vertical wall surfaces and said first horizontal base surface are joined as to be impervious to a liquid; a second container having at least three second vertical wall surfaces and a second horizontal base surface, wherein said at least three second vertical wall surfaces and said second horizontal base surface are joined as to be impervious to a liquid; and, said first container and said second container shaped as to be suitably positioned on a heating surface.
 2. The heating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first container and said second container is constructed of at least one of: steel, stainless steel, copper, cast iron, glass, Corian®, and a metal composite.
 3. The heating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first container and said second container include a container connector affixed to at least one of said first container and said second container.
 4. The heating apparatus of claim 3, further including a handle portion, wherein an end portion of said handle portion includes a handle connector suitably configured to be removably attached to said container connector.
 5. The heating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first container and said second container are received into a sauce pan, wherein said sauce pan is configured to be placed over said heating surface.
 6. The heating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first container further comprises at least one of: a lid, a lid with a finger hole, steamer basket, double broiler, handle and fryer.
 7. The heating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third container, wherein said first, second and third container are each configured in a pie-shape such that said first, second and third container form a complete circle. 